* The Panthers left Tampere with back-to-back victories and the hometown stars continued to contribute, with the seven Finnish-born players combining for 12 points across the two games, as the 2024 NHL Global Series Finland presented by Fastenal came to a close Saturday.
* Sidney Crosby and Alex Ovechkin were back at it again Saturday as they both put up multi-point performances to help lead their respective clubs to victories, with the former climbing the NHL’s all-time go-ahead goals list and the latter continuing to chase the all-time goals record.
* Long-time rivalries take center stage during a seven-game Sunday as the Rangers and Islanders get things going at 1 p.m. ET (NHLN, SN) before the Oilers and Flames reignite the “Battle of Alberta” at 8 p.m. ET (SN).
REINHART, HOME COUNTRY HEROES HELP PANTHERS WIN A PAIR IN TAMPERE
After posting three points Friday, Sam Reinhart (1-1—2) added a second multi-point outing Saturday to lift the Panthers to back-to-back wins over the Stars in the finale of the 2024 NHL Global Series Finland presented by Fastenal in front of a sold-out crowd of 12,807 at Nokia Arena in Tampere, Finland.
* Reinhart, who has a history of shining overseas, boosted his career totals in regular-season games contested outside North America to 6-3—9 (4 GP). He leapfrogged Nathan MacKinnon (1-7—8 in 4 GP) for the most points overseas and surpassed Patrik Laine (5 G in 4 GP) for the most goals. Reinhart leaves Finland tied for the League lead in goals (10) and points (21) in 2024-25.
* Finnish hockey icon Jari Kurri, a five-time Stanley Cup champion and Hockey Hall of Fame member, was on hand to drop the ceremonial first puck. Earlier in the day, the NHL Alumni announced Kurri as the recipient of the second annual ‘Börje Salming Courage Award’.
* A total of seven Finnish-born players appeared in each of the two games in Tampere, which tied for the highest total from a host country in a game outside North America, joining the seven Swedish players who appeared for the Blues and Red Wings in back-to-back games in Stockholm during the 2009 Premiere Series.
* Florida’s first eight goals, and nine of its 10 overall across the two games, were factored on by a Finnish-born player with all four on the Panthers roster contributing at least one point in Tampere. It marked the first time that players from the host country factored on eight consecutive team goals in games contested outside of North America (one team; spanning games). In total, the seven Finnish players across the two teams combined for 3-9—12 over the two games, led by Tampere local Aleksander Barkov (1-4—5 including an assist Saturday), who appreciated the full circle moment in front of his hometown crowd.
CROSBY NETS ANOTHER MULTI-GOAL GAME IN PENGUINS VICTORY
Sidney Crosby scored two of his team’s three goals, including the game winner, and climbed a couple League lists as the Penguins defeated the Canadiens at PPG Paints Arena. He recorded his 93rd career game-winning goal with Pittsburgh and surpassed Mike Modano (92) for the seventh most with a single franchise in NHL history.
* Crosby, who became the first Penguins player to factor on seven consecutive team goals since Kris Letang did so nearly a decade ago (7 from Jan. 27-30, 2015), also scored his 115th career game-opening tally. He surpassed Jarome Iginla (114) for the seventh most in NHL history.
* Crosby and Letang factored on the same goal for the 305th time in their careers and surpassed Kings teammates Anze Kopitar and Drew Doughty (304) for the third-highest total by a forward-defenseman duo in NHL history. The list is topped by Wayne Gretzky and Paul Coffey (350) as well as Phil Esposito and Bobby Orr (306).
OVECHKIN STAYS HOT AS CAPITALS SCORE SEVEN
Alex Ovechkin (1-2—3) extended his multi-point streak to three games and scored career goal No. 859 – 36 shy of passing Wayne Gretzky for the NHL’s all-time record – as the Capitals (8-2-0, 16 points) skated to victory thanks to their first five-goal first period since March 3, 2008. Washington matched its franchise mark for wins through the first 10 games of a season (also 8-2-0 in 2015-16, 2011-12 & 1991-92) and set a new benchmark for goals through its first 10 contests with 44 (previous: 43 in 1991-92).
* Ovechkin posted back-to-back three-point games for the first time since Nov. 24-26, 2021 and has amassed 4-4—8 over that span. The last time he recorded as many points over a three-game span was Jan. 16-29, 2020 (7-1—8).
OTHER STARS SHINE IN #NHLSTATS: LIVE UPDATES
An 11-game Saturday featured plenty of notable performances from stars such as Senators captain Brady Tkachuk, Golden Knights captain Mark Stone as well as the Avalanche duo of Cale Makar and Nathan MacKinnon. Find notes on all 11 games in the latest edition of #NHLStats: Live Updates.
* Tkachuk scored one of three Ottawa goals and Anton Forsberg turned aside all 22 shots he faced to become the first goaltender with multiple shutouts this season as the Senators bested the Kraken at Canadian Tire Centre. Tkachuk notched his 92nd career home goal to tie Mike Fisher and Dany Heatley for fourth most in franchise history.
* Stone factored on Brett Howden’s overtime winner to boost his 2024-25 totals to 5-15—20 (12 GP) and become the fastest player in Golden Knights history to reach the 20-point mark in a season, besting Max Pacioretty (14 GP in 2021-22). Vegas improved to 8-0-0 at T-Mobile Arena and matched its longest home winning streak at any point in a campaign (also 8 GP in 2017-18).
* Makar (1-1—2) and MacKinnon (1-1—2) both hit the 20-point mark and extended their season-opening point streaks to 12 games. Makar (5-16—21 in 12 GP) became the fifth defenseman in the past 40 years to reach the 20-point mark in 12 games or fewer, joining Paul Coffey (10 GP in 1988-89), John Carlson (11 GP in 2019-20), Al MacInnis (12 GP in 1990-91) and Quinn Hughes (12 GP in 2023-24).
QUICK CLICKS
* Finland President Alexander Stubb says Global Series ‘like the Super Bowl’
* Craig Berube receives standing ovation in return to St. Louis
* Tom Brady hits ice for first time with Tie Domi, looks sharp in hockey gear
* Legendary Canadiens broadcaster Pierre Houde ‘extra humbled’ to win Hewitt Award
*Luke Kunin T1D Fund (LKT1D) highlighted during Diabetes Awareness Month
LONG-TIME RIVALRIES HIGHLIGHT SUNDAY’S SEVEN-GAME SLATE
A full day of hockey on Sunday opens at 1 p.m. ET with the Islanders visiting the Rangers at Madison Square Garden in the first meeting of the season between the New York rivals on NHL Network and Sportsnet, and closes with the second “Battle of Alberta” of the season with the Flames hosting the Oilers after taking a 4-1 win on the road against Edmonton on Oct. 13.
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